The present invention relates generally to kitchen appliances and more, particularly, to an electric salad spinner device, which is designed for ease of use and provides the user with a more efficient way of carrying out the drying of wet salad greens, leafy vegetables, and the like, as well as to provide various optional functions as desired by the user.
While a variety of salad spinners are known in the art, none are available which provide the user with the case and simplicity of an electric motor-driven device, such as is the subject of the present invention. Also, while numerous food processor devices exist, which are electrically driven, none provides the user with the benefits afforded by a conventional hand-operated salad spinner.
A number of prior art references are available in the art, each of which references is directed to some specific discreet elements of the device which is described and claimed in the present invention. However, none of the references is directed to the totality of the combination, or its use and function in the manner described and claimed herein.
The following prior art references are known:
Hsu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,641 discloses an electrically-operated multi-functional processing machine capable of various functions, such as soy bean, rice and coffee milling as well as pressing and mixing juice and cutting slices;
Rebel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,070 discloses an electrically-operated food processor capable of cutting, stirring, kneading and centrifuging;
Lin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,084 discloses a crank-operated food processor having a work basket, a food processing member, and a seasoning aperture for dispensing seasoning and/or vegetable oils into the work bowl. The food processing member can comprise a drainer basket, a slicer member, or a mixing element;
Ferrera, U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,805 discloses a potato chip maker including an apparatus for centrifugally removing cooking oil from any product. The device includes a slicer mechanism for slicing potatoes and other vegetables, fish, chicken, etc., inserted through an opening, and a basket for centrifugally extracting liquid from the contents of the basket; and
Sontheimer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,162 discloses an electrically-driven salad spinner, which is an attachment for an existing food processor;
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an electric salad spinner which provides the user with a device which requires less effort to use than conventional, manually operated salad spinner.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an electric salad spinner which affords the user a more efficient manner of carrying out the drying of wet salad greens, leafy vegetables and the like.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electric salad spinner which provides the user with various optional functions to allow such user to enhance the salad greens or other leafy vegetables which are being dried by adding additional components such as salad dressings, oils, vinegars and similar items.
These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the discussion below.
The present invention provides for an electric salad spinner device which is designed for ease of use and provides the user with a more efficient way of carrying out the drying of wet salad greens, leafy vegetables and the like. Further, the electric salad spinner device of the present invention provides the user with a variety of optional functions which allow the user to enhance the salad or other leafy greens which are being prepared, for example, by the addition of salad dressings, oils, vinegars, and similar liquids, or by slicing in other hard vegetables such as, for example, carrots, celery and radishes.
The construction and obvious advantages of the device provided for by the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of the various specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.